Andy Walker

Head of PAS & Company Microbiologist

Full Bio

Andy has over 20 year’s experience of applying microbiology within the food industry and has gained a wealth of knowledge in food processes, recipe effects, plant design and environmental controls. He has an unrivalled in depth understanding of all relevant extrinsic and intrinsic parameters as well as typical and atypical manufacturing environments. Andy has experience and expertise working with clients within every sector of the food industry from chilled, frozen, ambient, and fresh produce, as well as developed expertise in using control strategies for these foods and manufacturing environments. Andy is a Fellow of the IFST, as well as sitting on steering groups for FDF Food Hygiene, IFST and Campden BRI. In 2014 Andy was recognised for his contribution to Microbiology by being awarded the FDF Food Scientist of the Year accolade.

Microbiology

Food Testing

Jo Matthews

Microscopy Manager

Full Bio

Jo has over 20 years food science experience working within FMCG companies and research institutions. Jo has expertise in Cereal Science and Ingredient Functionality. Jo leads a specialist team of Microscopists, with expertise in Investigation Microscopy, Foreign Bodies, and Issue Resolution. The team offer an unrivalled service for Foreign Body Investigations currently offering 32 methods accredited by UKAS to the ISO 17025 standard.

Ben Baxter

Allergens & Molecular Diagnostics Manager

Full Bio

Ben joined PAS (then RHM Technology) over 20 years ago from one of Premier Food’s manufacturing sites. He has a degree in Chemistry and during his career has developed extensive knowledge and expertise in many areas including DNA and protein base testing (particularly allergens).

In addition, Ben can offer in-depth advice on taints, odours, trace contaminants and nutritional testing.

Ben is responsible for extending the scope of the PAS’ testing capabilities through advanced innovation to aid the food industry.

Allergens

Food Testing

Dr Henna Lu

Contaminants Manager

Full Bio

Dr. Henna Lu received her PhD in Food Science from the Technical University of Denmark and obtained an AOCS honoured student award for her widely published research in the area of oxidative stability and functional foods development, especially foods enriched with omega-3 fatty acids. Currently, she is an active member of AOCS organisation.

She has over 20 years’ experience as a food scientist working across both academic and commercial settings, with a comprehensive knowledge of food chemistry, food analysis, sensory evaluation and analytical techniques (e.g. headspace analyses for volatile components and taints contamination using purge and trap, SPME, dynamic and static headspaces, chromatographic techniques using HPLC, UPLC, LC-MS, GC-MS, etc).

In addition, she has in-depth knowledge of food ingredients (e.g. natural antioxidant or antimicrobial solutions) for shelf-life extension and prediction, lipid oxidation and non-enzymatic browning reactions in complex food matrices.

More recently, she investigated the process contaminants (e.g. formation of acrylamide, MCPDs, etc., in edible oils or food products) and their mitigation strategies by using naturally sourced solutions or modification of process condition. In 2023, she joined PAS and leads a team of chemist in providing analytical services for contaminants and taints.

Contaminants

Warren Jackson

Nutrition & Metals Laboratory Manager

Full Bio

Warren leads our extensive nutrition team, as well as labelling and minerals. With over 25 years of experience within food analytical chemistry, 20 of these years within the PAS team. Warren is the PAS expert in ensuring compliance requirements for nutrition testing are met for both UK/EU products and overseas markets. Warren has extensive experience in method development with PAS specifically focussing on HPLC, GCMS and ICP-OES amongst others.

Nutrition & Food Chemistry

Gethin Humphreys

Microbiology Section Manager

Full Bio

Gethin has over 20 years of experience within research microbiology, with 16 years of these within PAS supporting the food industry. Gethin leads a team of specialist microbiologists who conduct bespoke and tailored testing programmes in response to product issues, NPD and manufacturing process issues as well as designing proactive shelf life testing experiments for products throughout chilled, frozen, ambient and fresh produce categories. Gethin holds numerous degrees and qualifications in Microbiology as well as being member of the IFST.

Microbiology

Food Testing

David Hodgson

Vitamins & Additives Laboratory Manager

Full Bio

David leads a team of chemists in the analysis of vitamins and additives, as well as oxidative rancidity. He has developed extensive experience in HPLC, IC and LC-MS/MS analytical techniques over his 13+ years at PAS, having also been involved in the development of new methods.

Vitamins, Minerals & Additives 

Food Testing

Dr Kar-Mun To

Senior Food Scientist and Rheologist
Full Bio

Kar-Mun has over 30 years experience as a food scientist working across both academic and commercial settings. She has worked with PAS for the last 18 years and currently heads up the Rheology section. As a specialist in ingredient interactions and functionality, she provides technical support to customise textural qualities for product development and troubleshooting services to optimise transport processes and unit operations in manufacture. Kar-Mun is also a Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology.

Foreign Body Investigations & Microscopy

Susan Savin

Senior Analytical Chemist

Full Bio

Sue has had over 35 years experience working in Chemistry analytical laboratories and over 30 years here at PAS. She has extensive knowledge in many areas and in particular Liquid chromatography and LC/ mass spectrometry with experience in method development and validation in both of these areas. Sue is also a Deputy Quality Manager ensuing that quality and improvements to the Quality Management System are maintained for our UKAS accreditation, with particular expertise in auditing

Vitamins, Minerals & Additives

Food Testing

Ijaz Shah

Head of Mycotoxins

 

Full Bio

Ijaz has 23 years of experience within the mycotoxin team, and has recently taken over The role of “Head of Mycotoxins”.

The team specializes in testing food products for the presence of mycotoxins to ensure compliance requirements for both UK and EU products.

 Ijaz has extensive experience in the development of methods, specifically focussing on HPLC, GCMS and LCMS-MS.

Vitamins, Minerals & Additives

Food Testing

Harriet Spatharakis

Microscopy Project Manager/Senior Microscopist
Full Bio

Harriet is an experienced microscopist and has developed extensive knowledge of foreign body investigations over her 12+ years at PAS. She has a keen eye for detail, strong problem-solving skills and is a specialist in investigative microscopy for the food production industry. She helps customers understand the effects of ingredients and processing on product structure and their relationship with product texture and appearance attributes, aiding product development and helping to troubleshoot issues. Harriet is also a member of the Royal Microscopical Society.

John Lee

Regulatory Specialist

Full Bio

John has over 40 years’ experience of working in the food industry on a wide range of food safety, quality, regulatory, labelling and innovation issues. He has specific expertise covering many areas of UK and EU food legislation including labelling, nutrition and health claims, food composition standards, food improvement agents (additives, flavourings and enzymes), contaminants and food packaging materials. John is a member of the FDF Food Ingredients Committee.

Risk Assessment & Consultancy

Join the Team

Join the Team

PAS can offer a wide range of employment opportunities across our numerous laboratories, with disciplines including Chemistry, Microbiology, Bioanalytical Chemistry and Microscopy.

Our laboratories operate at the heart of the UK food industry and enable our employees to get involved in routine testing, method development and innovative research.

We are always happy to receive details of suitably qualified individuals so if you think that PAS might be the place for you then get in touch!